blind Archives – Sonshine's Journal

April 10, 2016

Are You Good?

mark 10 you are good enough2 We all love the warm and fuzzy’s but in Mark 10 Jesus strips away those to reveal who we really are. We either have hard hearts, receptive hearts or blind hearts and it all begins with one question: Are we good? The rich young ruler called Jesus “Good Teacher.” Jesus asks him pointedly, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.” If you believe me to be good and only God is good, then I am God. Are you really wanting me as God to show who you really are?

Our measure of “goodness” is faulty for the Law was given to reveal to us who God is and who we are. The rich young man felt he had “done” all good things but knew he was lacking in one area. He was truly asking, what am I missing but when the scales are removed from his eyes, he sees but is unwilling to give up that one thing—his riches. He was blind to his breaking of the first and last commandment: have no other gods before me and do not covet. When that was revealed he was unwilling to surrender those and follow God.

God wants us to see that to have eternal life we must see ourselves as God sees us. We have missed the mark of God’s standard. “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” But, the promise for eternal life is there when we are willing to surrender our “wages of sin” and receive the “gift of eternal life.” [Rom 6:23]

Are you good?

Are you willing to surrender all to Jesus?

November 11, 2015

Is Jesus Your Messiah?

John 9 is the greatest story ever told about what occurs when both physical and spiritual illumination happens in a person’s life. The LIGHT came as a witness and a sign to the unbelieving; yet some continued, as they do today, to read the False Book of Assumptions; refusing to believe the evidence and thus stand before God condemned. The glaring evidence of both physical and spiritual blindness is revealed that we might consider the words of Jesus to the Pharisees “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”

How do we react when God provides concrete evidence of a changed life and they stand “in our face?” Do we honor God or are we like the three groups who witnessed the “miracle man” yet refused steadfastly to believe? All of the neighbors, the parents, and the religious leaders were witness to not just a physical change but a spiritual change as well–yet they refused to accept it from God. The neighbors scoffed and the parents were ensnared by fear. The religious leaders claimed to follow Moses but what about following God? These are now without excuse because they wanted signs to authenticate Jesus. The “miracle man” stood as a work of God as prophesied in Ex 4:11 and Psalm 146:8. They stand guilty of unbelief.

How about you when you are confronted with the evidence? Can you say: “I once was blind but now I see?” This is God’s grace.

June 18, 2015

How to Pray for the Wicked

Today as we watch the news our hearts are filled with much sadness by the many atrocities around our world. But God wants us to see that it is at times like this that we must be bold in our prayers for those who are blinded by the enemy and do NOT know the truth so that they may come to the knowledge of who Jesus really is and who God is.

TRUTH: The Holy Word presents the case of the righteous vs the wicked (the ungodly) from Genesis to Revelation that we may be discerning of the ways of Satan.

TRUTH: But there is also another reason and it is so that we may confidently approach God with weeping and praying for their lost souls. We know from history that the words of Paul have come true in more than one century: “fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” The why is clear: “the one who kills you will think he is offering service to God.” [Jn 16] because “the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.” [2Co 4:4]

TRUTH: We must bow before the Father and pray that their eyes of their heart be enlightened so that they may know the hope that is true and everlasting; that they may come to the knowledge of the true God; that the blindness that Satan has passed over their eyes may be removed and they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn to God and be healed. [John 12].

TRUTH: Beloved we are blessed to know the truth. Be bold before the Father and pray with boldness for the lost.

June 2, 2015

“From Slough of Despond to Walking with Jesus!”

Until we come to grips who we were before we were touched by the Bread of Life through His pouring out of the Living Water upon our dead souls, we are incapable of understanding the power of the rejuvenating work of the Holy Spirit. The testimony of the blind man reveals the wonder given to a man born in blindness which is how we were. “I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.”[Jn 9] In addition we were a slave to our master the Devil, and as a lover of darkness we did his bidding. Jesus told the Pharisees; you do what your father desires, murdering and plotting murder. We were in this “slough of despond”[1] of the very things God hates! (see Prov 6:16-19)

It was into this Jesus came to rescue us pouring out upon us His unblemished blood to wash our scarlet sins to become white like wool that God Himself may get the praise and glory. Thus we who were dead in our sins and trespasses have been “saved through faith—not of works for they are as filthy rags in His sight. [Is 64] But, rather God lavished his gift upon us awakening us from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit. And now as alive we are to perform what He predestined us to do: good works as a testimony to His work in us.

[1] Quote from Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan’

April 8, 2014

“What Are You Looking For?”

Jesus no sooner finished his miraculous feeding of the 4000 when appeared on the scene the Pharisees seeking a sign. Where had they been when this was all taking place? Surely had they been there that would have been sign enough or so we would think. However, since early times they and the Jews have been looking for signs and no matter how many God has given, they always seem to need just one more. This reminds us of John D. Rockefeller when at the height of his incredible wealth was asked how much money is enough and responded “one more dollar.” So when the Pharisees asked Jesus for yet another sign he asked: “Why does this generation look for a sign?” 1Co 1:22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom. Would they have believed him then as THE Messiah? Probably not and that is the way it is today with many who refuse to see and believe the evidence before them because: what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them in creation and still they refuse. Their spiritual insight is as the blind man we see next.

Someone brought Jesus a blind man for healing. Now this man had not seen THE Messiah nor had he seen the miracles that he had performed. He did not come to seek a sign nor did he come on his own seeking healing. Imagine being blind and then being restored to sight and seeing THE Messiah as your first image. How would you have responded? Would you want to see “more?” What more could there be than the very image of God Himself in living flesh? His physical sight and his spiritual sight were both restored to wholeness.

The Pharisees like many want to “see more” but the blind man was content to “see” and believe that the Messiah himself was standing before him. How often are we like the Pharisees and want God to provide just one more piece of evidence that Jesus is who he said he was? Listen to what Jesus said: I tell you the truth; no sign will be given to this generation. Perhaps that is why Jesus told the disciples to beware of the yeast or leaven of the Pharisees for they would never be satisfied to have just plain sight, they needed more convincing.

Beloved, are you content for sight to see or are you looking for yet another sign? May we yearn not for signs but spiritual truth.